Paper-feeding machine.



F. L. l PAPER PPEDING PLAGPINB. APPLICATION FILED JNJ, 1912.

E Batented Sept. 8, 1914.

8 SHEETS-SHBET 3 PMM P. L. (moss.

PAPER PEEDING MACHINE.

.APPLICATION FILED JAILZ, 1912.

Patented.- Sept. 8, 1914.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

L. GROSS.

PAPER FEEDINGMAGHINR APPLICATION FILED JAN.2, 1912.

1,109,902. Patented Sept.8,1914.

. a sHEBTssHEET 5.

. F. L. GROSS. PAPER FERDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED mlm, 1912.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914. y'

8 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

MC. M" 1;

y. L'. GROSS.

, PAPER, FEEDING MACHINE. APPLIGATION FILED JAILZ, 1912.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

s SHEETS-SHEET 7.

WMQM y MMQMVM F. L. GROSS.

PAPER FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.2, 1912.

famme@ Sept. s, w14.

8 SHEETWSHEET 8.

FRANK L. CROSS, @F WGLLSTON, .MASSACI-IUSETTS,

assiettes. 'ro caoss sarna' rennen contraire", acoaroaafrion ori/Lawn.

innesca.

Speeicaton et Letters llatent.

To all 107mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, .FRANK L. Cross, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Vi'lollastcn, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper- Feeding Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. f

The invention relates to paper feeding machines Which separate individual sheets from the pile or bank and feed them in regular succession -to a printing press or other machine for operating on or manipulating the lsheets.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved sheet feeding mechanism 'for seem-ing the uninterrupted delivery of any desired number of sheetsin regular vsuccession so that the y, delays incident to reloading the feed table of the pile feeders heretofore in common use may be avoided, With a resulting increase in the `production of the machine to which the sheets are fed.

To this end the invention -c`ontemqolates' the provision of two or' more mechanisms-for separating and feeding the sheets in regular succession, and means for discontinuing the action ofthat mechanism `which is active and starting an inactive mechanism to conl tinue the feeding of sheets in regular succession. Vith this construction the attend-l ant may replenish and adjust the sheet sup# ply of,one feeding mechanism While another feeding mechanism is feeding sheets, and when the sheet supply of the'active mechanismris exhausted-this mechanism maybe stoppedf'and the inactive mechanism started,

so that the 'first sheet fed by the latter mech! stopping of one feeding mechanism and the starting of another may he effected manually, although it is preferred ,todo-this. auto# maticallylvvhen the sheet pf an'aetive ymechanism is exhausted'. :The broader fea vThe various features yof Ythe invention vvill be readily understoodfrom an inspection Vof ratentee sept. 8.1914.

in. machines in Whichlthe sheet supply is" the accompanying drawings 'andthe follovv-y ing. .detailed 'description lof the mechanism illustrated therein.v i i ""v n Ay In the drawings Figure'l isia front `side elevation of the forward end of 'a'y sheet feeding mechanism embodying the inventionin its preferred form; Fig'. 2'is'a similar view ofv gthe center portion of .the mechanisrn,g1 Fig. 3 1s a similar view of the rear portion of the '.mechanism; Fig. lfis 'a rear end elevation ofthe mechanism shown in Fig. 3v; Fig 1s a sectional detail showing the devices for ithrofwing the feeding mechanisms into and.

out of action; Fig. 6 is a rear sideelevation ,of the ,center ,portion of the mechanism `Fig. -T is a plan View of vthefpart of 'the mechanism shownv in Fig'Q; v`Fig. 8 is a A.similar view ofthe partofthe mechanism @shown in 6, Figs. 47 and-,8 constitutingl together a compl-ete plan view of the center portion'of.v the mechanism; Fig. 9 isv ase@ tional-front eleva-tion of'that portion of the machine illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6; F ig. 10 lis a detail front elevation 4of' one of the ,clutches for driving the ,cam shafts of the feeding imechanismsgFig.l l1 is a sectional vdetail of the part shown in Fig.l 1 0; Fig. 12 is a detail showing the guides at thefront .of fthe feed t`.able`s;--Fig.v 13 is a detail of one ofthe supporting arms of the'feed mechanisn'is; Fig.- lfis a kdetail' elevation of the ,center-'bracket of the supporting frame for thefeed mechanism;` and Fig. l5 is a detail-- printing press. l.The machine illustratedisy provided with tvvo sheet feeding mechainisms, andfwith delivery devices adapted tov .cut-out n ieehanismsI for controlling the 'rais- A Separating devices T. e .iHratirUeet-be embodied with special advantage, hovveverg' directthegs'heets fedl hy either mechanisml-l .into position at-the front gages ofthe press." ,Each 'sheet feeding mechanism comprises vertically Vmovable feed table adapted to ,support a pilel of sheetsy and 'present the top of thepileinf position to he acted upon by 11191 tures of the invention 'contemplate'theuse ofany suitable form of sheet separatingv and feeding, devices; and` any suitable mehaeiem. for presentinga4 pile or hanlkiofY sheets tothe the sheet separating devices.' The sheet separating devices illustrated are of common type, and consist of two constantly driven 'comber v heels which arey simultaneously' lowered upon the pile and are independently v raised byfcut-out devices thrown intoy op eration` by the edge ofthe top sheet ad' vvanced bythe comber wheels. Thel mecha nism. for operatin and controlling the comb'er wheels is 'simi ar in general construction and mode of operation to the corresponding mechanism '-.shown and described in applicants priorfljatent No. 812,260, -February 13, 1906.- the construction shown 'each comber wheel l is secured to a` shaft 2 supvported inarms 3 which are secured vto a rock shaft' 4. The comberf shaft 2 is conend which are respectively connected to' drive the comber'wheels at'the correspond-- ing side of the machine.' The shafts 9 -of the two feeding mechanisms are connected 'y -13o-rotate in unison by a sprocket chain 10 1 passing over sprocket wheels 11- secured to the shafts, and the shafts are driven in uni- ...is bifrrc'L e son with the parts, of the printingrpress throu .f gear or sprocket wheel 12 'secured shaft,

of sheets as regular .intervals byv a. earn l5 engaging a roll 14 carried by a link 15, one end of which is connected to an arm 16 on the rock shaft ll, andthe other end of which d to straddle the holicw cani ddii-1n. the cornher whe shaft 17.. gageme sheets i in posituin between the ielivery' roll i8- the drop "f" 19 when the front, edge of the sheet operates the cut-out devices through 'which the comber' wheel is raised. These devicesicoanprise a. spring 20, one end of 'which is connected to the frame, and the i; other ennof which is connected to one arm of a heli crank lever 21 which is loosely mounted on the cam shaft l?Y A. collar isl pivoted to the upper` end of the lever 2i and surrounds a rod ."vhia` is canected to an arin 24 on the rc r sha 4. 'Ehe rod 23 also carries a collar 25 arranged to be engaged by the collar 22 when the bell crank lever 21 is moved by the. spring 2.0 in a direction to raise the comber wheel. y The rod 28 'also carries a spring 26 arranged between,

the collar 22 and tn-adjustable collar 27 on the rod, and adapted to 'force the comber wheel against the pile when ythe bell crank lever 21 is locked in position to stretch the spring 20, as indicated in the upper feed `deliver the top sheet.

ricerca mechanism in Fig. 9. During the combing the bell crank lever 21? is held in position against the tension of the spring 2O by a latch 28 engaging the lower end of the lever, as indicated in Fig.A 15. The latch 28 is formed on an arm29 which is pivotally supported upon a'stud 30 carried by the bracketv 31. The arm 29 also supports the rock'shaft 32 which vcarries the trip finger 33 and the pawl 34. The trip finger 33 is arranged in the path of the sheet,'and when the front edge of the sheetv engages this finger it swings the pawl 34 into engagement with the teeth 35 on the constantly rotating kdisk 36.y "When the pawl is engaged with the teeth of the disk the disk forces the pawl ddwnward and toward the left in Fig. 15, thus disengaging the latch 28 from the lower end of the lever 2 1 and releasing the'lever.

.The spring 20 now swings the upper end of the lever toward,l the right so ,that the collar 22 on the lever engages the collar 25.011 the rod 23, forcing the rod to the right and -rais'ing the comber wheel so that the-combing action of the Wheel ceases- Then the comber wheel is thus raised a 'presser'foot' 37 is lowered upon the vtop of thepile and holds the'sheet at this side from displace--` ment in case the combe'r wheelat the other side of the sheet continues in action. The presser foot 37, is in the form of'a lever pivotedon the rock shaft lland provided with a lug 38 overlying a laterally projecting pin in the end of an arm 40 of the bell crank lever 21.. When the coinber wheel is raised by the cutout mechanism the arm 40 swings downward so t" at the presser foot the top of the After the top sheet has been advanced ii'itoposition between the derolls hy the cofnher wheels the drop red upon the sheet and the 'o top of the, pile and the printing prf-va.' S ,et

engages y is -lowered the cut-cut the presser foot 37 from the pile. The.. I

meansfor resetting the cut-out-devices consist of a cam Lilv arranged to engage a roll 4t2 on the lower-'end of the lever 21 and a. cam i3 arranged to .engage a roll t# on the end vof an arni 45 which projects from the hub 'of the latchl arm 29. Thecarn 43 is secured to the cam shaft 1'?, and the cam L11 into position to latch the lever before the comber wheel lis `again lowered upon the pile. When-- the cutout mechanism is` reset,,

as above describedyv the comber Wheelis' held in its raisedposition until-after the deliveryv rolls have delivered-the top` sheet by the cam:

13. When the lever 2r Tof the,cut-oiw-mech` an1sm is reset itcompresses the spring 26 so that this spring Will actto force the comber Wheel against thepile when the comber Wheel lowered, the pressure upon Ithe pilel 10. lependmgupon the adjustment of the col- Vyhenl the drop rolls 19 areloWeredtodeliver thetopsheet, the' second sheet andthe sheets-beneath itare held by a tail clampV 47 arranged near the rea-r end of the pile andadaptedl to be raised andlovvered at the proper time.: The tail clamp is lsecuredto-a shaft 48 supported in arms 49 and pro'-v vided with a vertical arm 50 connected by a link- 51- toa pivot 552,. The arms- 49 are' secured to a: rock shaft 53 and one of the arms is provided with a ratchetv seg ment 5 4 arranged to be engaged by av pawvl 55. The pavvl ismounted in apawl carryinglever 56" and isarranged to'ride over a fixed guard 57 sothat the paWl is disengaged froml the ratchet when the clampy is lowered upon| thepile and will allow the clampk to accommodate itself to the height of the pille. The paWl carrying, -lever 56 is actuated by a vertically moving bar 58 which underlies a roll 59 on the lever. The rear end ofthe bar is pivoted to the free end of a swinging arm 6 0 and the front end is pivoted to4 Van arm 61 secured to a rock shaft 62.- The 'roclrv shaft l69 is provided With a second-.arme 63 which is connected by a link-64 with an arm 65 secured to the end of the rock sl aft 66. The rock shaft66- is the shaft Whic carries' the armsv 67 in which the droprolls 19 are pivoted, andthis shaft is rocked at proper intervals to rai-se and lower the drop rolls and to lower and raise the tail clam s by a cam- 168 securedto the cam shaft 1. and engagable construction and may be operated in the manner fully explained in the patent above referred to.y Pressure rollers 78 .are arranged to coperate` 'withl .the tapes as they' pass over the supporting-rolls 73, and

these rolls may be raised and lowered at certain intervals if found desirable Aby any suitable mechanism. The sheets fed by the "np/per feed mechanism-are delivered tothe rolls 78 and tapes'l 72 by tapes 79 passing -over' the delivery rolls 18 and over supporting and guiding rolls 80'and 81. The delivery rolls 18 are secured upon shafts l81,and these shafts are continuously driven y from the gears 8 through gearing 82 shown inFigfQ.

The feedboard 89' on which the pile of :sheets is carried is supported at its rear -end uponI a shaft. 83 and is supported near 75 yits front end upon a cam 84 through vvheh vertical movement is imparted to the table 'to keepl the top of the pile in proper position to be acted upon by the comber wheels.

The table may be adjusted to move the pile 80 bodily toward or from the delivery rolls by pinions' 85 formed on the shaft 83 and engaging `racks'86 secured to the under side of the table. In order that the sheets at the top of the lpile may be properly guided 85 over'the lower delivery rolls 18, guide bands 87' are arranged to extend from a cross plate 88 atthe frontend of the pile to a ser-ies of disks 89 which are loosely mounted on: the shaft 81 of the delivery rolls 18 and 9 0 are Weighted toy hold the bands taut. The cross plate 88 is connected With side plates 90 which are guided in Ways 91 secured to 'the side frames, and the plates 9() are provided 'vvith vertical guideWays 92 for re- 95 ceiving pins 93 which project from the sides of the feed table. By this construction the front plates 88v are arranged to move with the feed table When it is moved to adjust the pile toward and from the delivery rolls, and at the same time the feed table is free to move vertically to maintain the top 'of the pile 'at the proper'height. When the `feed table is moved, forward or back, thedisks `89 are rotated to accommodatethe 105 movement of the table and to lzeepthe guide bands 87 taut and in proper position to direct the top sheets of the pile from the 4top of the plate 88I to a position between the deli-veryrolls.`

As the sheetsy are separated and fed from the top of the pile the feed table 82 is gradually moved upward to keep the top of the y pile at a substantially uniform height and in proper position to be acted upon by the comber Wheels. The mechanism for thus moving the feed table comprises the cam 84 and apawl and ratchet mechanism for operating the cam, the action of which is controlled from the top of the pile. As shown,

the paWl and ratchet mechanism comprises a ratchet Wheel 94 secured to the shaft 95. l

i which carries the cam 84, and a pawl 96 carried by. alever 97 which is pivoted on the shaft 9:3.l The pawl carrying levcris con- 125 nected by a link 98 with a crank pin 99 on one of thel continuously otating :gears 8.

'The'pawl yis normally hedout of engagementwith the ratchetby'a guard lever 10 0 having a guard surfacel arranged to underlie 30 a pin 101 on the pawl. The guard lever is provided with a weight 102 which causes the lever to move with the pawl as it is reciprocated and to maintain the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet. One of the rock shafts 4 for raising and lowering the comber wheels provided with an arm 103, the free end ot which is adapted to move into the path ot the lever 100 when the eomber wheel is. lowered below apredetermined point.4 `When the top ot the pile is helow this point7 the arm 103 is moved .into the path of the -guard lever 100 when the pawl is in its retracted position indicated in 6, so that `when the pawl advances the guard lever is held in its retracted position and the pawl rides ott the guard' lever and engages the ratchet wheel. Vhcn this occurs the cani 84 is advanced to raise 'the pawl.

The cam shafts 17 which carry the cams for controlling the operation of the sheet separatino and feeding devices are driven through clutches which are constructed and arranged to drive each cam shat't in the same timed relation to the printing press or other machine to which the sheets are ted, and means provided for throwinc clutch into operation 'when thrown onta thatV the chan mechanism to the other may l; ected v.' H out intcrruptinp` the feed or tie sheets in regular succession to the printing press. As shown., each clutch comprises a driving` arm 10a projecting)r from the huh oit the continuously ruiming sprocket wheel 11` and a pawl 105 carried by a dish 106 which is secured. to the hollow cani shaft 17. The pawl 105 is pivoted at 107 on `the disk 100, and is held in position to he engaged loy the driving` arm by a spring` 10S. The pawl :is provided with a tail piece 109 which projects beyond the periphery of the dish 100, and is provided with a slot engaged by a pin 110 which determines the position ot the pawl when it is drawn radially inward by the spring 10S..

The devices for throwing each clutch into and out ot operation comprise a roll 111 carricd by the upper end of a lever 112 which is pivoted on. a bearing 11B surrounding the de- .li\ery roll shat't S1. The lever 112 may loe swung about its hearing to hiring the roll 111 into or ont of the path ot the projecting tail 100 ot the pawl 105. wWhen the lever is swnnginto position to engage a stop pin 1111 the roll 111 is brought into the path ot the pawl, and when the tail of the pawl strikes the roll the pawl is disengaged trom its driving;l arm 104, andthe rotation ot the corresponding cam shaft 17 is 'immediately arrested by the friction brake 115. lVhen the lever is swung' into position against the stop pin 116 the pavwl 105 is released and immediately swings into position to be engaged by its driving arm 10-1. lVhen one of the levers 112 is actuated to disengage the correspondnice in clutch and thus render the `feeding mechanism inactive, a-stop arm 117 is moved into position below a roll 11S carried by an arm 119 secured to the drop roll rock shaft 66 so that the lowering of the drop rolls is pre-l vented. AThe stop arm 117 is formed on a disk 120 whichis mounted on the bearing 113 and is connected with the lever 112 by a spring-pressed latch 121. The latch is provided-with a handle 122 through which the attendant may operate the latch to disconnect the lever 112 from the disk 120, in case he desires to throw the cam shaft of the feeding mechanism into operation without allowing the drop rolls to he lowered to deliver the sheet which may he fed forward into position 'between the drop rolls.`

ln order that one feeding mechanism maj; he thrown into operation when the other is thrown out of operation, the starting and stopping devices are so connected that movement of either into position to disengage its clutch may move the other into position to engage its clutch. lnthe construction shown this connection means consists of a link 123 so connecting the disks 120 that the movenient ot' either lever 112 causes a movement ot the other lever 112 in the oppositey dir c'ion, provided that the levers are coneo to ythe disks by the latches 121. The parts y)are so arranged yand timed that the driving` clntch disengaged and the cam shaft stopped after the comher wheels and presser toot 37 have been raised, and just betere the drop rolls are lowered to carry away the sheet which has been fed into position between the delivery rolls by the Coinber wheels. This position of the parts is shown in the lower feeding mechanism of l? il. When one of the feeding mechan is is stopped with the parts in this position the other mechanism is thrown into operation, and since the clutches are similarly ar 'anged and timed, the cycle of operations loegun by the mechanism which is stopped is completed by the mechanism which is started. That is to say, the drop rolls ot the mechanism which is started are lowered to feed forward a sheet at the time that the drop rolls of the mechanism which is stopped would have been lowered had this' mechanism continued in action. The feed ot the sheets in regular succession, theretore, may he continued without interruption, although one feeding mechanism is stopped and the other one started. The stopping of one feeding mechanism and the startingl of the other may heeflected by the attendant at any time during' the operation of the machine by manipulation of either of the levers 112. Means is 'also provided for automaticalljx7 stopping either feeding mechanismv and vstarting the other when the supply ot' sheets on the feed table of the active mechanism is substantially exhausted. This means in the construction showncomprises a disk 12.4 secured tothe end ofthe .table feeding cam shaft 95, and provided vwith a projecting tooth .125 .for engaging a shoulder 126 on one end of alink 127,.the other end of which is pivoted to the stopilever 112. Thetooth 125 is so arranged that it will engage the tooth 12(5 during the feeding movement of the cam shaft which raises .the .feed table into its highest position, as indicated in the lower feed mechanism of Fig. 9. This ,-feed of the .table lifting cam takes place during the operation ofthe combcr .wheelsand the tooth .125 draws the link 127 4toward the right in Fig. .2, thus bringin'g'one of the stop rolls 111 into stopping position and shifting the other from stoppingposition to starting position. As the link I127 completes its movement toward the right, its inclined free end rides up a pin -12S,.thus disengaging thetooth' 126 on thelinkifrom the table 125. :The position of the parts just after the lowerdink 127 has been shifted to stop the lowerffeed mechanism and.to startthe. upper feed mechanism is :indicated in Fig. 2. After the lower feed mechanism has been thus automatically Stopped andthe upper feed mechanism started to continue the' feed of the sheetsto-the printing pressin regular succession, the lower feed table may be lowered into position toreceive a fresh supply of sheets. After placing the. pile of 'sheets upon the-feed table,l theattendant may adjust the pile to bringit into proper relation to the comber wheels. ;He may also disconnect the starting lever 1,12 from the disk 120 by operatingthe latch 121 andthen shift the roll 111 out of engagement with the paw-'1105, thus starting the cam shaft vof the -lower l feeding lmechanism and throwing the comher wheels into operation to comb out and .feed forward the top of the pile This manipulation of the lo-wer lever 112 does not aifectthe uppenfeeding,mechanism, since the connection between -.the lower lever 112 and the upper leverisbrokenby dis-g engagingthe latch 121. No sheetsare car# ried forward bythe delivery rolls of the lower mechanism atthistime, since the arm, 117 remains in position, to prevent thelower# ing of the drop rolls 19 into' engagementi with the lower Adelivery rolls 18. ,Thus by proper manipulation the attendant may load the lower feed table, adjust the pile in 'proper relation .tothe deliveryfrolls and" comber wheels, and allowthe comberwheels to operate until they have positioned the top 'sheet properly between the delivery rolls and in position to be carried forward to the printing press when the drop rolls are; lowered in starting the lower feed mechanism into operation. Having thusproperlyv adjusted the lower feed mechanisnrthefattendant brings the lover 112 into slDPPiIlg A .the printing press.

,position andre-connects it with the disk 120. Now .when .the supply of sheets upon the upper feed table is practically exhausted the upper .ifeed mechanism will.be automatically stopped and the lower feed mechanism started to continue the feed of the sheets to Now in .the saine manner the supply of sheets onthe upper feed table' may be replenished and the mechanism manipulated and adjusted to bring the top of the pile into proper position with the front edge of the top sheet between the delivery rolls.

While it is l preferred to employ the form 'of separating and feeding devices, and the construction and arrangement of parts shown and-described, it will be understood that this ,is ,not essential, and that the form of separating and feeding devices, and the constructionand arrangement of parts, may be varied 1and modified without departing from the broader features of the invention.

Having'explainedthe nature and object of` the invention, and specifically described lone form of mechanism in which it may be embodied, what I claim is 1. A paper feeding machine, having, in combination, a. plurality of mechanisms for separating and feeding sheets in regular succession, and means for discontinuing the action of one mechanism and starting an inactive mechanism to continue the feed of sheets in the regular succession, substantially as described.

2. A. paper Efeeding machine, having, in

combination, a plurality of feedtables, sheet separating mechanism yfor each table, and

means for stopping the action of one sepa- .rating mechanism and starting another to.

continue the feeding of sheets in regular succession, substantially as described.

3. A paper feeding machine, having, in combination, a plurality of sheet separatingmechanisms, devices for delivering the sheets 4from either mechanism to a common point, and. ,means for stopping one separating mechanism and starting another to vcontinue ,the delivery of sheets in regular succession, substantially as described.

4. A paper feeding machine, having, in combination, a plurality of sheet separating mechanisms, devices @for delivering thej sheets from either mechanism to a commonpoint, and mechanism :for automatically stopping .an active mechanism and starting anidle .mechanism to continue the delivery of sheets vin regular succession, substantially as def Scribed.

5. Apa'per feeding machine, -,.having, in combination, `a plurality of vertically movableffeedtables, sheet separating dev icesfor each table, devices for delivering the 'sheets from either `separatng mechanism in regular succession, and means for discontinuing the feed ofV sheets from one table and starting the feed of sheets from another table, substantially as described.

6. A paper feeding machine, having, in combination, a plurality of vertically movable feed tables, sheet separating devices for each table, devices for delivering sheets from either separating mechanism in regular succession, and means for automatically discontinuing the feed of sheets from one table when it reaches a predetermined height and for starting the feed of sheets from another table, substantially as described.

7.1i paper feeding machine, having, in combination, twol feed tables,. sheet separating devices for each table, delivery dcvices for each table delivering to a common point, means for discontinuing the yfeed of sheets from either table, and means for starting the feed from the other table to feedthe first sheet in the regular succession behind the last sheet ofthe discontinued feed, substantially as described.

8. A paper feeding machine, having, in combination, two sheet separating mechanisms, delivery devices for each mechanism delivering the sheets to aicommon point, de-

'viees for starting' and sto ino each se a- ZID b rating mechanism, devices for preventing the operation of the deliveryA devices, and means for operating the starting andstopping devices of each mechanism independently of the corresponding delivery preventing devices, substantially as described.

9. paper feeding machine, having, in combination, two feed tables, sheet separating devices for each, table, devices for delivering the sheets from each table to common point, mechanism for raising each table, and mechanism controlled from the table raising mechanism for stopping the feed of sheets from that table and starting the feed from the other table, substantially as described.

10. A paper feedingmachine, having, in combination, a plurality of sheet separating mechanisms, devices for delivering the sheets from either mechanism to a common point, and means for stopping a separating mechanism and means for starting another separating mechanism to continue the delivery of sheets in regular succession, substantially as described. v

11. A. paper feeding machine, having, in combination, a plurality of sheet separating mechanisms, sheet registering mechanism, sheet conveying mechanisms for conveying sheets from either separating mechanism to the registering mechanism, and means for stopping one separating mechanism. vand starting another to continue the feed of sheets to the registering mechanism in regular succession, substantially as described..

- 12. A paper feeding machine, having, in ccmbinatiom a plurality of vertically movable feed tables,sheet separating devices for each table, sheet registering mechanism, mechanism for conveying sheets from each separating mechanism to the registering mechanism, means for "discontinuing the `feed tables, combing wheels and sheet operated cutouts for each table, sheet registering mechanism, delivery devices for conveying the sheets from each cutout to the registeringv mechanism, means for discontinuing the feed of sheets from one table and for throwing the comb wheels and delivery devices for another table into action to continue the feed of sheets to the registering mechanism in regular succession, substantially as described.

14. A paper feeding machine, having, in combination, a plurality of sheet supporting tables, comb wheels and sheet operated cutouts for each table, sheet registering mechanism, delivery devices for conveying the sheets from each cutout to the registering mechanism, means f throwing one set of comb wheels and delivery devices out of action and another set into action to continue the feed of sheets to the registering mechanism in regular succession, and means for throwing the inactive comb wheels into action while retaining the inactive delivery devices out of action, substantially as described. l

15. A paperfeeding machine, having, in combination, a plurality of sheet supporting tables, sheet separating devices for each table, front and side register devices, delivery devices leading from the front of each table to the registering devices, means for throwing the active sheet separating and delivery devices out of action and for throwing a set of inactive sheets separating and delivery devices into action to complete the cycle begun by the set of separating and delivery devices which are thrownl out of action, substantially as described.

FRANK L. CROSS.

`Witnesses z GEORGE E. STEBBiNs, N. D. MGPHAIL. 

